Story ID: 355_Air Culinaire.doc
Air Culinaire Localizes Inflight Menus
By: Mark Phelps
Caption: Global catering specialist taps the best of regional cuisine, worldwide.
Word Count: 300
Living up to its company name, Air Culinaire Worldwide (Stand 410) recently announced a series of new, diverse local menus now available at several of its locations in the U.S. and Europe. A division of Universal Weather and Aviation, Air Culinaire prepares haute cuisine catering that is optimized for serving in the cabins of business jets. Roger Leeman, senior v-p of culinary operations said, “While we have a global footprint, each kitchen team has deep knowledge of the flavors and ingredients that make their local cuisine unique. We capture the essence of each region’s cuisine, and ensure that each item is properly adapted for safe stowage and reheating on board the aircraft.”

For example, Michelin-star-trained executive chef Herve Bourdon and his team at the Air Culinaire Paris kitchen spent months testing and developing new dishes and culinary trends “that will provide our clients a great in-flight catering experience.” One highlight is Lobster à l’Armoricaine, consisting of locally-caught lobster roasted in butter, flambéed in cognac and soaked in lobster broth. Bourdon’s team also developed Filet de Sole Bonne Femme; fish cooked lightly in a creamy white sauce–a traditional dish from the famous French chef August Escoffier.

“All of our products are farm-to-table, such as the free-range poultry that are raised locally, or the fresh-caught seafood from the local fish market,” said Bourdon. The new menus are available through May 1, 2015, when a newly refreshed series will take their place.

Air Culinaire has 20 wholly owned and operated kitchens throughout the world. It also coordinates with hundreds of associate catering partners spanning six continents. “Food is a very personal experience,” said Leeman. “So we want to ensure our clients are presented with a variety of the latest food trends and long-standing favorites.”